Conveyer



July my l2@ J., m. @Hummm ET AL V CONVEYER Filed April 50 192@ @g n L! uL A L W Lk la la L w M l 30 effectively 4Patented July 10, 11928.

" 'ima-17 UNITED sTA'rlEsfvPATENT] oFrics.,f-

JOHN D.

CRUMMEY, WILLIAM J'. AUSTIN, AND( FRANKH. LEWIS, 0F SAN JOSE, lCALI-FORNIA, ASSIGNORS TO BEAN SPRAY PUMP C0., OF SAN JOSE,ICLIFORNI,VAFCORPOBATION OF CALIFORNIA.

extending between and connectingopposing 6 corresponding links of theside chains.

The links of the chains are `openframes,

one end bar of which serves as the pintle which articulates otherend barof the link adjacent, said links l having extending from their innerside `bars alug with which the end of the cross mem-A ber is connected,usually by end of the cross member either entering the lugvorvice-versa.

Such a conveyer, while adapted in many arts for receiving and advancingvarious articles, inds one of its uses in an art to which we shallherein speciallyrefer in order to *fully disclosel the nature and objectof our im rovedconveyer.

In t e marketing of fresh fruit, and in obedience to authoritativeregulations concerning ,the removal of possibly `noxious sprays, it isnow necessary totreat the fruit by subjecting it to cleansing liquidsand drying eects; and because of the size of the crop and the brief timewithin which it must be treated, it has been the endeavor to supplyapparatus which will handle the fruit and speedily. One essential memberof such apparatus is an endless travelingconveyer to receive and carrythe fruit through the treating zones ;l and as such treatment involvesthe necessity of as full exposure of the fruit from all sides as ispossible, it is found that an open work conveyer of the nature aboveoutlined is well adapted for the purpose. v

It is essential, however, that the fruit, particularlythoseof a delicatenature, suffer no injury while lying upon the conveyer, and likewisecare must be taken to preserve intact the assembly of the conveyer byguard- 'f ing thecross members and their link connections against thecorrosive effects of the v liquids used` and to insure the security ofsaid connectionsl by lpreventing them from pulling apart under theweight of the load. g

To vthese ends our invention is directed. Briefiy stated, then, ourimprovement consists in covering the cross members with a cushionsheath, in practise one of rubber,

and stretching the ends of the sheath to fully cover the joints whichconnect the links and thev ends of the cross members.

in a socket formed on the a slip joint, the

v CONVE'ER.' v

Application led April 30, 1928. Serial No. 274,126. I

From the following description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, oui` improved conveyer together with its objects andadvantages will morel fully ap- In the drawings Fig. 1 is a plan of. asection of our conveyer.

Fig. 2 is a View, enlarged, partly in plan and partly in section, of theimproved cushioning and protective means of one of the cross members atone end and its joint with the link lug.

The conveyer chains are formed of links 1 consisting of open frames, oneend of which forms the articulating pintle 2 and the other end is formedwith the articulating socket 3. Each link is provided or formed on oneside with a recessed lug 4, one of these beingshownin Fig. 2. Into thelugs 4 are slip fitted the cross rods 5, one of which is shown in saidFig. 2. i

Completely covering each rod 5, as shown in Fig. 1, is a rubber sheath,the ends 7 of the sheath being stretched over the recessed lugs 4 of thelinks, thus covering and sealingl fully, as clearly seen in Fig. 2, thejoint between said lug and the cross rod.

The rubber sheaths 6 serve to cushion the fruit and prevent injury toit. They also serve to protect the cross-rods, throughout their length,from the corrosive action of the acids used in the process of cleansingthe fruit. They also serve, by reason of their ends 7 stretched over andsealing the joint between the rods 5, and the link lugs 4, of guardingagainst the entrance of the corrosive liquids into said joints. Also bythus stretching over the lugs 4 they frictionally hold the rod ends inplace in the lugs, and thereby permit said rods and sheaths to be madeof small diameter to furnish maximum exposure particularly of the bottomof the fruit, as it lies'upon the conveyer, said rods though smallhaving no tendency to sag under the weight of the load, the ends of therods being thus held in the lugs.

lVe claim 'i v 1. A conveyer comprising spaced parallel side chainscomposed of articulated links; spaced, parallel cross membersconnecting.l opposing corresponding links; and a rubber l cushion sheathcompletely enveloping eachv cross member, the ends of said sheath beingand 'cross member connection. 110

2. A conveyer comprising spaced, parallel y side chains composed ofarticulated links,

from one side; spaced, parallel cross rods fitting the recessed lugs ofthe links; and rubber cushion sheaths completely envelopl5 ing each rodthroughout its length between the lugs and having its ends stretched t0cover and bind upon said lugs.

vIn testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification.

JOHN D. CRUMMEY. WILLIAM J. AUSTIN.` FRANK H. LEWIS. l

